HondaAccord1985Overview/honda/accord/1985/base/

1985 Honda Accord

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1985 Accord.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1985 Honda Accord, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission and powered by an engine requiring 3.7 quarts of oil with a recommended viscosity of 20W-40, 20W-50, or 10W-40, achieved EPA fuel economy ratings of 21 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined, placing it competitively within its segment for the model year; reliability data indicates this generation recorded 16 total owner complaints with the fuel system being the primary concern area, alongside a single recall, while broader complaint history spanning 1990 to 2022 shows complaint volumes trended downward over time—with 2022 recording the lowest at 213 complaints compared to the peak of 2,013 in 2003—suggesting that despite early-year issues, the Accord platform ultimately established a reputation for lasting dependability.

Model year202420232022202120202019201820171985

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity3.7 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 20W-50 / 10W-40OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy21/28/24 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length175.6 in
Overall width65.7 in
Overall height54.3 in
Wheelbase96.5 in
Curb weight2330 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined21 / 28 / 24 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume85 cu ft
Cargo volume12 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Accord of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.5–15.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.50 sec — 1995 LX V-6 Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1981Sedan 1.8L I-413.40 sec19.20 sec75 hpFWD
1989LXi Coupe 2.0L I-411.40 sec18.40 sec120 hpFWD
1990EX Sedan 2.2L I-49.70 sec17.10 sec125 hpFWD
1979CVCC Sedan 1.8L I-412.00 sec18.80 sec72 hpFWD
1991EX Wagon 2.2L I-49.00 sec16.80 sec125 hpFWD
1978CVCC 3-door Hatchback 1.6L I-415.20 sec19.30 sec68 hpFWD
1976CVCC 3-door Hatchback 1.6L I-413.80 sec20.00 sec68 hpFWD
1994EX Sedan 2.2L I-49.40 sec17.00 sec145 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 3.7 qt of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 10W-40 engine oil.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · 10W-40 · 10W-30 · 5W-30 · 5W-20
Engine Oil Capacity3.7 qt

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 6,000 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 7,500 miBrake Line (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Parking Brake System (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect) · Suspension System (torque) · Tie Rod (inspect)
Every 7,500 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Clutch Pedal Assembly (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Power Steering System (inspect)
At 15,000 miTransmission Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Suspension System (torque) · Suspension System (inspect alignment)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Choke System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miAir Injection System (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1985 Honda Accord is not represented in the supplied year-by-year federal record, which runs from 1990 through 2022, so no direct before-or-after comparison is possible within the dataset. For the target year itself, the record shows only a handful of complaint areas—Fuel System, Gasoline leads with four, followed by Vehicle Speed Control with two, plus one each for Fuel System, Other/Seat Belts and Suspension—along with four crash-related complaints and one fire complaint. Across the documented 1990–2022 arc, complaints and recalls trended upward through the late 1990s and 2000s, peaked around 2003, 2008, and 2018, and then generally declined; because 1985 sits entirely outside this window, the data does not specify where it falls in that trajectory or what root causes may be associated with it. Given the sparse federal record and the vehicle's age, this is not a year I would confidently recommend for a daily-driver purchase, though the limited complaints do not point to a specific recurring defect pattern.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
16
Owner complaints
4 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Frontal★★★★
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 16 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Fuel System, Gasoline4
Vehicle Speed Control2
Fuel System, Other,Seat Belts1
Suspension1
Tires1
Engine & Engine Cooling,Unknown Or Other1
Power Train1
Exterior Lighting1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

92V028000Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And CapReported 03/03/1992

IF THE PLASTIC COATING OF THE FUEL FILLER AND/OR BREATHER PIPE IS DAMAGED, SALT WATER MAY ACCUMULATE BETWEEN THE PLASTIC COATING AND THE STEEL PIPES, AND THE ACCUMULATION COULD CAUSE CORROSSION WHICH WOULD EVENTUALLY… Remedy: CORRODED FILLER OR BREATHER PIPES WILL BE CLEANED AND RECOATED OR REPLACED AS NEEDED.

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Accord. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1985 Accord take?

3.7 qt of ABOVE 14 degrees F: 20W-40 OR 20W-50, ABOVE -4 degrees F: 10W-40, -4 degrees TO 90 degrees F: 10W-30, BELOW 32 degrees F: 5W-30, BELOW 14 degrees F: 5W-20, per the factory manual.

Does the 1985 Accord have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Accord get?

EPA figures are 21 city / 28 highway / 24 combined mpg.